Gen. 42:21-22 - Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us." 22 Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood."                                       NASU

•  The Cause of their Guilt 

Jacob's sons are in a dilemma. They sold their brother, Joseph, into slavery years ago. They had taken his coat of many colors and stained it with animal blood and then lie to their dad, Jacob, about what had happened to Joseph. 
Now years later, there had been a famine and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. This is when Joseph sees his brothers. He recognizes them but they don't recognize him. Joseph has them placed in prison and accuses them of being spies. He leaves them in prison for three days and tells them they must leave one of the brothers in prison, travel home and bring their younger brother to Egypt to prove they are telling the truth that they are not spies.

•  The Guilt of the Past Returns 

Now is when their guilty consciences kick in and they remember what they had done to Joseph, their brother, and they believe this is why this disaster is coming upon them. We probably have all done some thing in our past that periodically comes back from time to time to haunt us.
The two best ways I know to overcome a guilty conscience if you have hurt someone:

1. Apologize and ask for forgiveness from the hurt person.
2. Apologize and ask for forgiveness from God if the hurt person cannot be contacted.

 After their father, Jacob, dies the brothers send a message to Joseph asking him to forgive them. Gen. 50:16-17 -"Your father charged before he died, saying, 17'Thus you shall say to Joseph, "Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father."   NASU  
The brothers asked Joseph for forgiveness and it was granted to them.

• The Hope We Have In Christ 

When your conscience brings up your past, here is what I have found works for me. I remind myself that I am not that person any longer. That Gary died and was buried March 2, 1975 in the watery grave of baptism. Jesus was and is the perfect sacrifice that atones for the sins of mankind. The best way to defeat your guilty conscience is to be born again.
I am not perfect now, but thank God I am not what I used to be nor am I what I want to be.  I want to do what 2 Pet. 3:18 says, "…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Like the sign says, "Under Construction: God isn't finished with me yet." We really need to memorize this statement. We are under construction. God is working on us and will continue to work on us as long as we are on this earth and will let Him.

• Guilty Conscience About Something Done After Your Baptism?

Incase you didn't know, Christians aren't perfect and sometimes our guilty consciences come from things we have done even after we have become a Christian. You may have done something that hasn't hurt anyone but yourself so you don't have to ask for anyone's forgiveness.
People have told you, "To let it go." You wish you could but everything you have tried isn't working. 
So what should be done in those situations? I would say, "You need to remember what God has done for you. He has forgiven you, so forgive yourself." 

• I Am Plagued By Feeling Guilty Constantly

Some people have a personality that dwells on the past, and if you are a Christian who is constantly fighting your past mistakes, then by all means you need to dwell on God's ability to forgive you of your sins.

• Christians Have The Same Enemy As Jesus

Christians must remember that we have the same enemy as Jesus had when He was on earth. The enemy constantly wants to bring up your past mistakes.
I like this saying, "When the devil wants to remind you of your past, remind him of his future." 
God is going to CRUSH him one day as it says in Romans 16:20 - "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."       NASU
If you want to dwell on something, dwell on what God has done for you and what He will do to the devil. 

Think on These:
The head usher to happiness is a well-kept conscience.
Your conscience is not the voice of God; it is a gift from God.
Stay Pumped,
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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Eph 4:26 - BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,   NASU
Mark 3:4-5 - And He said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. NASU 

• Being Angry Isn't A Sin 

The apostle Paul said, "Be angry and yet do not sin..." (The reason it is in all capital letters above is this is a direct quote from the Psalms 4:4)
Jesus, according to Mark, was angry with the Pharisees attitude in regard to healing on the Sabbath. Jesus was there to heal people and it didn't matter to Him if the healing took place on the Sabbath or not. The way I have said it for years is like this: "It is never wrong to do what is right."
What mattered to Jesus was a good deed was done and this glorified God. 

• What About Your Anger? 

If you are angry my question to you would be "What is the source of your anger? Are you like me an angry when you hear of idiots walking into schools or churches and kill people for no reason? I know this sure infuriates me. 
I believe this to be a very important issue. You must identify what causes you to become angry.
Many people have called Jesus' anger "righteous indignation". I have no problem with anyone calling His anger that.
The question for us is "Could our anger be called righteous indignation"? 

• What Is It That Has Us Upset Or Angry? 

Candace Lightner's 13 year old daughter, Cari, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Fair Oaks, California in May 1980. Candace used her "anger" to organize a group of people we know today as Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD.
Driving laws in our country have been changed because Candace used her anger in a positive way.
The apostle Paul said, we can be angry we just can't allow our anger to lead us into sinning. Candace allowed her anger to be used in a positive way.
So maybe you have been cheated or robbed in some way as Candace was robbed of years with her daughter. It is okay to be angry but don't allow your anger to become sin. 

• Learn How To Ventilate Properly 

Years ago when I was doing counseling I would tell people they needed to learn how to ventilate their feelings. You will either do one of two things with your feelings. You will either ventilate or suppress them. The choice is yours.
The best solution is learning how to ventilate properly.
Let's say you are driving and the person driving the car in front of you is going to slow according to you. How are you going to ventilate what you are feeling?
You can get closer and do what they call "riding their bumper" or when you get an opportunity to pass you cut back in real close to them to let them know you don't appreciate how they are driving.
OR
You could think and say to yourself is God trying to slow me down to save me from a serious accident up ahead?
One passenger who was supposed to be on ValuJet Flight 592 from Miami to Atlanta where all 110 people on board were killed. He said, he was yelling and screaming at all the cars that were in front of him for not driving "fast enough" according to him.
He said the realization of the crash hit him hard as he stood in the airport and heard the report of the crash of ValuJet Flight 592. All those cars that were in his way were now the reason he was still alive.
James 1:19-20 - But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. NASU 

• Conclusion 

According to James we are to be slow to anger and then Paul says, if you are going to become angry don't allow your anger to lead you to sinning.
I hope you have an anger free week, but if you don't then be angry but don't sin. 
Think On These:
"Anger" is one letter short of danger.
For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.
Striking while the iron is hot maybe okay, but don't strike while the head is hot.
Stay Pumped,
Gary A. Serago
Minister of God's Word
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Prov. 13:20 - He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. NASU 

• Old Cliché 

There is a saying that goes like this: "You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends". I would simply like to add to this saying: "You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends, so choose wisely my friend".
 
University of Wisconsin's Head Wrestling Coach Barry Davis told me about quite a few different wrestlers that he knew and coached that associated with the wrong people.
 
One wrestler connected with the wrong girl friend and instead of returning the next year and becoming a National Champ, he didn't even finish as an All American.
 
Solomon said it many years ago and this is still great advice today. Choose your friends wisely. If you become friends with a fool it will cost you dearly. 

• The Apostle Paul 

Over a thousand years after Solomon the Apostle Paul would say it this way in: 1 Corin. 15:33 - Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." NASU
 
All in all both men are simply saying something like this: "Show me your friends and I will show you your future." 

• Solomon Says 

His advice is pretty simple and straight forward. You want to associate with people who are wise. Wise people understand that life is not all about them. It is about helping others and being the best that you can be while on this earth.
 
We all have this in common and that is we are going to die.
 
So what are you going to do with your life before death comes knocking on your door?
 
The one thing you don't want to do is waste your time associating with the wrong people.
 
Serago's paraphrase of what Solomon says reads like this: "You associate with fools and it will bring guaranteed suffering into your life."
 
THE MESSAGE says it this way, "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces." 

• Conclusion 

It is never too late to change your course. If you haven't been associating with wise people then start now. If you have been associating with fools then stop now.
 
Read God's Word because it will tell you the type of people to have as friends.
 
Think On These:
 
A wise man learns by the experiences of others. An ordinary man learns by his own experiences. A fool learns by nobody's experiences.
 
Knowledge is knowing a fact. Wisdom is knowing what to do with that fact.
 
Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word

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Mk 5:21-24 - When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. 22 One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet 23 and implored Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live." 24 And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him. NASU 

• Interruptions Defined 

An Interruption is that which "breaks in or upon". If you are at the dinner table and the phone rings this is an interruption. Twenty years ago at our dinner table I was able to take the phone off the hook, but those days are long gone. Now everyone has their own phone that can be used as an interruption.
 
I can remember going into meetings and saying, "Hold all my calls I don't want any interruptions." 

• Even Jesus Faced Interruptions 

In our text above Jesus is greeted by this large crowd as He disembarks from the boat. Jesus would have been there to teach them the Word of God and to heal those with diseases. He is interrupted when Jairus comes to Him and pleads with Him to come and heal his daughter who is really sick.
 
Jairus is not the only interruption that Jesus will encounter this day.
 
While on the way to Jairus' house Jesus is faced with another interruption. This time it is a woman who is in need of Jesus' healing powers for herself. She thought, "If I just touch His garments, I will get well."
 
She moves in and secretly touches Jesus' clothes and when she does she is immediately healed of her 12 year long illness. This is where the story gets interesting. Jesus stops, turns around and says, "Who touched My garments?"
 
This is not going according to her plan. She wanted to touch Him be healed and slip off into the crowd. Jesus wasn't supposed to stop and turn around and question the crowd of people. 

• Mean While Jairus' Daughter Is Dying 

What would you be thinking if you were Jairus?  Would you be thinking "I don't need this interruption right now."?
 
Would you get involved and speak out like this? "Alright, if you touched Him I want you to tell Him, NOW, the longer we stand here the sicker my daughter becomes."
 
Jairus waits patiently while Jesus engages with this lady and commends her for her faith.

• Are We Able To Wait Patiently And Remain Faithful?

When we experience interruptions in our lives are we able to wait patiently for Jesus to come and answer our prayers?
 
The lady was sick for 12 years with her illness yet she never gave up on her faith.
 
Would we continue to pray about something if our prayer had not been answered in 12 years? Would we remain faithful to God if we hadn't received the answer to our prayer sooner than that? 

• Goals And Interruptions 

What are your goals in life?
 
Do you know that anything that doesn't help you accomplish your goals is an interruption in your life?
 
When interruptions entered into Jesus' life He used them to Glorify God.
 
We need to realize interruptions may come into our life and stay for years so that we can glorify God with them.
 
Jairus is going to receive more than he asked for that day. He asked for a healing and what he is about to receive is his 12 year old daughter resurrected from the dead.
 
Many times with God you will receive more than you ask, but you must persevere through to the end.
 
If your life is being altered because of interruptions, be like Jairus and the woman who suffered for 12 years, put your faith in Jesus and wait for Him to answer your prayers.
 
Think On This:
 
 Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it.
 
Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

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